Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
One who calls themselves a Sikh of the True Guru rises in the quiet early morning and holds the Name in mind.
Making the effort at first light, they wash and bathe, and steep themselves in the pool of nectar within.
Following the Guru's teaching, they remember the One, and all the weight of past wrongs lifts away.
Then, as the sun climbs, they sing the sacred words — sitting or standing, keeping the Name in mind.
One who remembers the One with every breath and every bite of food — that Sikh becomes dear to the Guru's own heart.
The one to whom the Great One is kind receives the Guru's teaching.
Nanak says: I would gladly take the dust of the feet of such a Sikh — one who holds the Name themselves and helps others hold it too.
A Sikh's day can be so full of remembering the One that it flavors every breath and every bite.
It describes the daily rhythm of a GurSikh, a student of the Guru. It starts with amrit vela, the quiet hours before dawn. Then comes the bath, then remembering the Name. As the sun rises, the student sings Gurbani, the Guru's words. Then comes saas giraas, remembering "with every breath and every bite of food."
Near the end, Nanak asks for the "dust of the feet" of such a student. That is an old way of showing deep humility. It does not mean putting yourself down. It means honoring someone so much that you would gladly take the lowest seat before them.
This is not a list of rules. It is a picture of a life soaked in remembrance. Think of a cup of tea steeped for a long time. Every sip tastes of it. A life steeped in the Name is like that, even in eating and breathing.
What is one small thing you could do at the start of every day that would set the whole day in a good direction?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI